The present invention relates to food filling and packaging systems and more particularly to systems to aseptically fill containers, with presterilized food, to eliminate the need for sterilization of the entire filled container subsequent to filling.
Heretofore, it has been necessary to either sterilize the food and the container after filling or to introduce foreign substances which will preserve the food from both oxidation and bacteria growth.
The prior procedures are expensive in that they are both labor intensive and material cost expensive and even when used to the procedures in many instances do not fully protect the food product from degradation. For example, in the case of whole milk or other perishable products, sale of the product must be accomplished within a specific period of time otherwise bacteria in the food product degrades the product and prevents use and the entire product package is lost. Alternatively food products must be refrigerated to prevent short term spoilage. Further, heat processing in prior art arrangements has resulted, in some instances, in poor quality control.
In other procedures such as canning, where the food products are put up in metal containers which are sterilized after packaging, cost of the containers is significant and the cost of processing is likewise significant.
Further, filling devices within the scope of the present invention can be utilized to fill liquid as well as liquid/particulate mixtures or liquid which subsequently harden.
While certain prior art means of aseptic packaging are known, and presently utilized, no prior art equipment is known where high volume production can be accomplished and where the aseptic qualities can be preserved in the filling equipment by periodic sterilization of the equipment.